Small Insert - Lopi or Avalon

[deep wood]

I currently own a Quadra-Fire Castile stove which heats our finished basement and the better part of our second floor (the oil fired boiler occasionally fires to make up the difference). We could use some additional heat upstairs when we hit the - 30 to - 40 temps. My wife suggested we install a wood pellet insert in our inefficient factory built metal fire place. She likes the warmth of a pellet stove and the firelight. I'm researching the Lopi Pioneer Bay and the Avalon Newport Bay which appear to be the same insert. These inserts will fit in my metal fireplace and the owners manual states such an install is ok.

Are folks generally happy with these inserts (both manufactured by Travis Industries)? What is the noise level of the convection blower? The insert will be located in our main living area. Thanks in advance for any info. or advice.....

 

[Ruddmeyer]

I have the larger version of the pioneer bay, it' called the yankee bay. I have it in my main living area and it heats well. The temperatures here are nowhere as cold as where you are as it was only 3 degrees this morning. I have had this insert for 4 years now and can say I have had no problems with it. The convection blower is a bit loud but not a problem listening to tv. My house is an old log cabin (1929) and this stove does a nice job of keeping it warm even with a lot of drafts from between the chinking. Good luck with your purchase as I think travis lopi or avalon is a quality stove. Also I might add that my floorplan is totally open and I have to keep a fan on constantly in my loft area otherwise it gets to warm up there. I only keep the insert on medium , very rarely to have to go to high.

 

[deep wood]

Thank you for the information. This was helpful. Our local newspaper announced yesterday that a pellet plant is opening in interior Alaska. This is good news as it's a sad deal that we burn so much fossil fuel to ship pellets from the lower 48.

 

[imacman]

Are you ordering the stove online, or buying from a dealer? If a dealer, do they have a floor model that they can start up so you can listen to it? Also, I'm sure eventually someone on this forum who has one will chime in on how loud it is.

I have a Travis Ind. Avalon FS unit, and it works very well....no complaints at all, and not overly loud, even on High. If you're putting this in a well insulated area, the convection (room air) blower could always be turned down some to make it quieter.

 

[deep wood]

Thanks Macman. It's nice to hear that your Avalon's noise level is reasonable. The nearest dealer is 350 miles away in Anchorage. I make it to Anchorage once every 2-3 years. If purchased I will have it shipped by truck. The rates are surprisingly reasonable. Maybe I should call the dealer and ask them to hold the phone near the stove

 

[fireman1028]

Definitely Avalon

 

[summit]

they are both the same. it is like asking if you should buy a gmc 1500 series or a chevy silverado. they are made by the same manufacturer, have the same parts, just look slightly different.

 

[fluemasterjr]

might be a dumb question but why not go with a quadra fire castile insert that way you have interchangeable parts??

 

[summit]

honestly, look at the harman insert, the accentra insert.. they make the best pellet unit out there. We deal with 6 types of pellet unit at our shop, and they are the best. Only issue we have had has been a recent batch of bad ignitors, which the company has acknowledged is a problem and is replacing them. (there is a manual function included in the circuit board so it does not affect the ability to use the unit untill repair is made;3 yr coverage on that part) We have customers who can heat a 2000 sq ft house through maine winter with that unit. You only have to empty ash about every 2 wks with average pellets, 4 wks with a super pellet quality.

 

[deep wood]

I’m researching the Lopi Pioneer Bay and the Avalon Newport Bay which appear to be the same insert.

I figured this out...same insert (see above)

Harman insert will not fit in the space I have available....

Castile insert will not fit in the space I have available.....

Maybe I should buy a new house ;-)

 

[sparkydog00]

I currently own a Quadra-Fire Castile stove which heats our finished basement and the better part of our second floor (the oil fired boiler occasionally fires to make up the difference). We could use some additional heat upstairs when we hit the - 30 to - 40 temps. My wife suggested we install a wood pellet insert in our inefficient factory built metal fire place. She likes the warmth of a pellet stove and the firelight. I'm researching the Lopi Pioneer Bay and the Avalon Newport Bay which appear to be the same insert. These inserts will fit in my metal fireplace and the owners manual states such an install is ok.

Are folks generally happy with these inserts (both manufactured by Travis Industries)? What is the noise level of the convection blower? The insert will be located in our main living area. Thanks in advance for any info. or advice.....

i was the proud owner of the Lopi...worked great for several years... i sold it to someone 3 years ago...so it is probably still pumping out heat. The stove was a very user friendly stove. You could figure out problems pretty easy. Even had a shop manual for it. So you could really tear it down and fix it. It heated the first floor of my 1600 sft house ...though you usually had to keep the stove cranked up to 3/4 or above ....any lower and you really wouldn't get much heat...but you would get a lot of soot on the glass. the stove is a top feeder...and the burnpot is tiny...so you have to scrape the clinkers out daily.
So it ranks high on my list.
i too installed it in a crappy metal zero clearance fireplace.
Now I went out and got myself a Harmen Accentra to replace it 3 years ago.
The harmen is a better stove in every way shape and form. Except servicing it....Harmen doesn't want you to touch the stove...so they tell you nothing. It is a service guys dream...dumb customers!!
But it outperforms the Lopi in every catagory.
I even was able to make it fit because it comes with a tiny hopper option that makes it just a tad larger than the Lopi.
Would never buy another Lopi...Harmens rock!

 

[sparkydog00]

Oh and the Harmen is able to heat the entire 1600 sft house to a toasty 70 + no problem...and the stove is rarely burning at high!

 

[sparkydog00]

I’m researching the Lopi Pioneer Bay and the Avalon Newport Bay which appear to be the same insert.

I figured this out...same insert (see above)

Harman insert will not fit in the space I have available....

Castile insert will not fit in the space I have available.....

Maybe I should buy a new house ;-)

if you look inside the burnbox...you will see many screws...just start taking them out...you will be surprised at how much room you will buy taking out the extra sheet metal in the burnbox.
And make sure you are looking at the Harmen Accentra with the 37 lbs hopper...it is tiny!

 

[sparkydog00]

honestly, look at the harman insert, the accentra insert.. they make the best pellet unit out there. We deal with 6 types of pellet unit at our shop, and they are the best. Only issue we have had has been a recent batch of bad ignitors, which the company has acknowledged is a problem and is replacing them. (there is a manual function included in the circuit board so it does not affect the ability to use the unit untill repair is made;3 yr coverage on that part) We have customers who can heat a 2000 sq ft house through maine winter with that unit. You only have to empty ash about every 2 wks with average pellets, 4 wks with a super pellet quality.

And every day if you burn Maine Woods Pellets!